


Young Justice Season 3: Return

by TheHer0



Series: YJEU - The Young Justice Extended Universe by TheHer0 [1]
Category: Young Justice (Cartoon), Young Justice - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Multi, Season 3, Young Justice - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-02
Updated: 2017-12-31
Packaged: 2019-02-09 09:33:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 18,164
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12885048
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheHer0/pseuds/TheHer0
Summary: "You will always be my Robin."Picking up 5 months after the death of Wally West and the defeat of The Reach, The Team has changed, and life goes on. But what happens when an old friend returns from the dead? And how will they react when he's turned foe? Secrets will be uncovered, lives will be shattered, and friendships will be strained beyond their breaking point. Revenge is all he wants. It's all he has.





	1. Episode 3.1 - Return

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Young Justice returns for a third season, and the stakes are higher than ever. The Team is adjusting to life post-"Endgame", but when a new and mysterious threat threatens the life of a senator, it's up to Robin, Superboy, and the rest of Alpha Squad to stop him.

**APOKOLIPS**  
**JULY 5, 00:16**  
**TEAM YEAR 6**

Flames roar. Two shadowed figures meet in the center of the pits of hell.

"Business as usual." one growls as the two shake hands, solidifying a deadly pact that ensured their names would be engraved in the memories of the universe itself for eternity.

**THE WATCHTOWER**  
**DECEMBER 5, 20:16**  
**5 MONTHS LATER**

"Oof!"

Robin was thrown across the room, smacking into the wall and landing face first onto the cold ground. Picking himself up, he extended his bo-staff and surveyed the battleground. Static was on the ground a few feet away, struggling to regain his footing. Cassie had just been thrown back, but didn't relent in her offensive, letting out a scream and flying back into the fray. _Please, Cass, don't hurt yourself,_ Tim thought. He had to shake off those thoughts, she could handle herself, and he knew that. Robin turned his attention to the newbies instead.

First there was Spoiler. She was taking cover behind an overturned table readying her weapons. Stephanie Brown started out as a crude vigilante that had tried to roam the streets of Gotham at night. Tim had found her foiling a bank robbery some 2 months prior, and her skills showed potential, but she was nowhere where she needed to be if she was going to be fighting crime. Robin had taken her under his wing, and here she was now, part of The Team. There was still some work to do, but she was eager, and showed promise.

Then there was Vibe, who had dropped to a knee, tossing shockwaves in the direction of their attacker. Cisco Ramon had come to the League shortly after news of Kid Flash's sacrifice reached the public. He looked up to him, having come from Central City, where Wally and his mentor were decorated heroes. The victory over The Reach inspired more heroes to come out of shadows and start actively helping to better society, and the energetic, flashy Vibe was one of them.

"Robin, look out!"

Tim looked up just in time to roll out of the way of a chair tossed in his direction. Now it was time to focus on the hulking mass in the center of the room, Bane.

"Better pay attention, Chico, or a bird is gonna get squashed." Bane growled at the battered heroes around him. "Although I give you respect, your girlfriend packs quite a punch."

Robin narrowed his eyes and tossed a few smoke pellets in his direction, buying time. Static ran over to help Tim up, out of breath. "We're running out of time. We have to take him out now!"

"Agreed. Alpha, regroup!" All five formed up at one end of the room, waiting for the smoke to clear. Cassie spoke first.

"So do you have a genius plan to get us out of this one or am I gonna have to punch our way to victory?" she said playfully. Tim smirked and before answering he was cut off by Stephanie.

"Robin always has a genius plan, right Robin?"

"Uhh.."

"Look, I know what Rob's thinking, and you all do too. We've practiced it enough times over the past week, there's no reason we can't do it now."

Tim smiled. Virgil had shown signs of leadership at around the same time he grew more confident in his abilities, thanks largely to Black Lightning's mentoring. It would be some time, but Tim couldn't wait to see the hero he would become.

"Go ahead, hablan. Allow me to regain my strength." Bane's voiced echoed in the training room, his voice glitching ever so slightly as he adjusted his venom pump.

Robin broke the huddle and pointed his staff at the villain. "You heard the man- less talking, more action. Alpha Squad, Maneuver 16!" The Team had practiced Maneuver 16 -the combination of abilities- to a tee, and it showed. The heroes moved fantastically in sync with one another, Spoiler flinging flash grenades into Bane's face, then giving way for Wonder Girl to deliver a -in Tim's opinion- sexy uppercut, sending him face-first into the wall with a loud bang. Vibe made sure he stayed there, blasting the brute, cutting his venom tube, and forcing him farther in. Robin followed up by launching his staff through the air, where it was charged courtesy of Static, and all it took was contact with Bane's connecting port to cause his image to fizzle out.

With a smile Cisco lifted up his glasses. "Hasta la vista, baby!"

The lights in the room went brighter, and the AHS (advanced hologram simulator) shut down completely. The windows overlooking the room un-tinted to reveal Superboy. "Great work you guys, go cool off and meet up here in five."

_Recognized: Red Arrow-B06, Aqualad-B02_

"I'm glad all is well, my friend. I wish her a speedy recovery."

The Roy Harper clone put a hand on Aqualad's shoulder as he spoke, both of them in their civvies. "Thanks, Kaldur. But it's me who's glad you're back. How was Atlantis?"

The two made their way down the corridor, heading towards the Mission Room. "Fine. Things are prospering there, Garth and the Queen extend their greetings. But for now I must return all my attention to The Team."

"And your attention will be welcomed." A door opened and Superboy walked out, smiling towards Kaldur. "Good to see you buddy, Krypton knows I can't stand all this overseeing work, although it's nice to see progress. Virgil is becoming more confident, Cassie less reckless and more patient. Vibe keeps impressing. Spoiler needs some work, but Tim's been doing a great job with her. He's a natural leader. Just like his brother."

At the mention of their friend, Kaldur looked up with questioning eyes, and was met with a disappointing head shake by Connor. "Still haven't heard from him."

Kaldur nodded and thought of the first Boy Wonder. He had bowed out after Wally’s death, and the Team hadn’t heard anything from him since. His birthday came and went, and although Aqualad suspected he had shared it with Barbara, as per usual, he didn’t press for information on his whereabouts, or even a timetable to return. With M’Gann visiting family on Mars and Artemis taking a more conservative role, he could use someone with Dick’s leadership abilities, but would have to do without. He lost his best friend, and needed time to grieve.

Roy sighed. "You would think five months is enough time to brood. Then again, he was trained by Batman.” Conner grunted in agreement, although both were sympathetic. “What's the report on our squads?"

Superboy walked over to the computer. "Alpha called from Cleveland. They're all done and heading back. Beta hasn't checked in, but I doubt they have a problem..."

**BOSTON**  
**DECEMBER 5, 20:18**

Fire blazed at every street corner. Waves of red and orange licked at the white snow, and a sweltering heat broke the chilly air. A mechanical voice echoed throughout the empty streets, taunting two heroes in the shadows. "Why do you hide from me, heroes? I would think with all the cold you would welcome a little heat!" More flame erupted from the maniac's weapon, a new grade flamethrower.

"Sorry buddy I actually like the cold! But it sounds like you need a serious chill pill!" The new speaker received an elbow to the side from his companion as a burst of fire lit up a parked car, setting it ablaze.

"Bart, if you spit one more cold pun out of that big mouth of yours I'll get La'gaan to give you one of those 'hurricane' wedgies he's always talking about."

"Oh come on Artemis, you know he's just bluffing. Besides, you know there 'snow' way I'm gonna stop." The second Kid Flash shot back, himself cringing at that one but knowing it would get to her.

Tigress facepalmed and groaned. She had worked with Bart quite a bit over the past few months, and had grown fairly used to his puns and quick-witted comments. Initially she feared it would remind her too much about Wally, the way he could banter with her every step of the way, the way sometimes his laugh sounded just like Wally, and especially the suit. Instead it was somewhat comforting, familiar. She had to admit he kept her on her toes, and it was helpful during cold nights like this. "I'll forgive you if you can wrap this up in the next five minutes so we can get back to the Watchtower."

"Five minutes? Damn Artemis, you're getting soft. Especially when we're talking about this chump. I mean, who names themselves after a bug?"

Artemis smirked. "I am so telling Jaime."

Bart's eyes widened. "No way Artemis I didn't… I was… oh shut up you know what I mean!" With that the speedster dashed off to put their plan into action. "Hey Fire Freak! I think you need to cool down!" Speeding out into the street, he started to run circles around the hovering Firefly, dodging blasts of flame.

A torrent of air began to form in Kid's trail, becoming faster and more powerful as he picked up speed. Firefly started to wobble in mid-air, his jetpack having lost control to the tornado-like nature of Kid Flash's whirlwind, which was quickly gaining height. Just when the criminal began to adjust, Tigress rolled out from her cover and fired three shots from her crossbow, taking out the jetpack.

With a yelp Firefly came crashing down, straight onto yet another parked car, rolling off unceremoniously. In a flash his armor was gone, replaced by a straightjacket and a sign that read 'Kick Me'.

"That’s a nice touch Kid, I'll give you that." Artemis chuckled, just as sirens began to sound a block away.

"Or would you rather say an 'ice' touch?"

"Shut up, Bart."

**WATCHTOWER**  
**DECEMBER 6, 6:42**

"At 10:48 last night the G. Gordon Godfrey Show received an anonymous phone call threatening the life of Senator Jeremy Ryder of California. As you know, he is a popular candidate for the President-elect’s cabinet, and should figure heavily into the discussion for Secretary of State." The Briefing Room of the Watchtower was quiet except for the commanding and monotone voice of the Batman, standing beside Aqualad and surrounded by a group of young heroes. "We were unable to trace the call and as of now, we have no information on the identity of the caller."

Robin spoke up, gazing out through his dark shades. "No voice recognition?"

"Negative. Subject was using a voice modulator and could not be identified. The Senator's anti-hero policy prohibits the League from interfering publicly, especially since he still plans to give a speech at an outdoor rally in Jump City today at noon. That's where you come in. Aqualad will brief you." With that Batman walked away, gone almost as soon as he arrived. Aqualad took Batman's place and lit up a 3D diagram of the Jump City town square.

"Superboy, Static, Tigress, and Lagoon Boy, you will be part of the protection team, Robin will lead." Tim raised his eyebrows a bit, but didn't object, something he often did earlier in his career. He was more confident now, he knew that, his teammates knew that, Cassie knew that. Leading a team of heroes more experienced than him was nothing new; after all, Dick had done it more than a few times in his career, but it was still a daunting task.

Aqualad continued. "The stage and podium on the south end is flanked by the vacated apartment buildings to the east and west, and the bay completes the square on the north side. The buildings are due for renovation in a few weeks but for now they're abandoned, and that makes for perfect kill position. There will no doubt be his own personal security up there, so stay low and out of sight. We don't want any incidents."

Static spoke up with a grin. "You here that, Connor? Low and out of sight."

"What, I've gotten better... sort of."

"It's the out of sight part you'll have trouble with, Virg. When you get nervous, you spark like a torn wire!" This time it was La'gaan taking a friendly shot at his teammate. Artemis remained silent. It was good to see friendly banter, but they needed to focus on the task at hand.

"So we get in and patrol the area until the speech is over?"

"Correct, Robin. Simple recon mission with a simple task: ensure the safety of the Senator. Study this map and meet up at 10 with the Super cycle. Good luck, and be safe." The holomap folded away and the squad dispersed, leaving Tim to catch up with Aqualad as he began to walk away.

"Kaldur," Tim began as the Atlantean turned around, "I think we should bring Spoiler. She's been coming along well and the experience would do her good."

Aqualad put a hand on Tim's shoulder. "She's got a long way to go, but you've done an excellent job with her. Dick would be proud."

Tim smiled at that. He often wondered if Dick would have done anything different in teaching her, or if he would've even mentored her at all. A rogue off the streets, not used to being a team player at any level. But that was why he was committed to train her, just like Dick had helped Batman train him.

"Take her. But make sure to pair her up with someone."

"Thanks, Aqualad. This'll do her good, I know it." He nodded to his friend and turned away to begin preparations.

**JUMP CITY**  
**DECEMBER 6, 12:39**

The mercenary leaned up against a wall in one of the apartments, he could hear the Kryptonian thudding around in the room on the other side. _Just a few more minutes..._ He didn't think of himself as a mercenary, even though technically that's exactly what he was. _Only for the moment,_ he thought, _this job and maybe a few others are all I need to get on my feet. Then they're really screwed._ He started softly towards the door and slipped out into the hallway. He checked his belt again to make sure his brass knuckles were in place. He wouldn’t call them brass, but his target would find that out soon enough. A few more steps led him into the next room, and he took position behind a chair. The floor creaked only slightly as he lowered himself to a crouch. "Sweet upholstery job," he noted. The footsteps of his advisory stopped short. _Aaaand I said that out loud, didn't I?_

Suddenly the chair was lifted off the ground, exposing the assassin to the smirking face of Superboy. "I don't suppose I get a do-over?" His words were met with a slow shake of the head. "Alright then, Plan B." The merc leaped up and tossed a punch at the Kyptonian's head, and met air as it was dodged, with his fist just barely grazing Superboy's ear. He followed it up with a punch to the gut, which connected and sent waves of pain up his arm.

"You don't do much research, do you?" Superboy grinned as his opponent turned his back to him, hunched over his hand in pain. A soft green glow began to emanate from his crouched position as the merc fastened his new knuckles.

"Heh. Exactly the opposite, actually." Whipping around, he unloaded his fist into Superboy's face, knocking him back across the room, bowling over a couch in the process. "You would not _believe_ how easy it was to get this shit." The merc began a slow walk to where Superboy had disappeared behind the overturned couch. “Personally, I’d like to call them krypto-knuckles. The guy who gave it to me wasn’t particularly amused, but hey, patent pending. I even got it under my boot, so you'd be-” he was cut off by the couch itself, which hurdled through the air, slamming him into the wall with a crash.

“Superboy to Alpha, I found the-” He broke off in confusion as his fingers scraped at air.

“Looking for this?” The assassin stood smirking under his helmet, his opponent’s com between his fingers. “Swiped it when I whiffed on your cabeza a minute back. You know, right before you taunted me for being unprepared. Remember that, asshat?”

Superboy narrowed his eyes. “Who are you? Why do you want the Senator dead?”

“So many damn questions and,” he paused to listen to the Senator’s speech, echoing around the plaza. He was farther along than the merc would’ve liked. “You’re making me late.” One by one he dropped pellets to the ground, the smoke rising up until it engulfed him and Superboy was left to flail at air.

“Where the hell…”

“Right here, bud!” The assassin leapt out from behind Conner, putting him in a headlock and covering his face with a rag. “That’s the beauty of Kryptonite, you can make almost anything from it.” His voice was a triumphant whisper as Superboy’s struggles grew weaker, fine green dust puffing out from under the rag. When he had finally dropped to the floor, the sound of footsteps came down the hallway, heading for the door.

“Superboy? I couldn’t reach-” Static dropped to the floor as the merc leveled him with one punch.

“Sorry but I’m running short on time. I’d ask for a raincheck, but you’d probably short out, or something.” The merc smirked and took off, he had other sidekicks to pound.  
**.....**  
Tim moved to a crouch at a window on the ground floor, watching the crowd for any suspicious characters. Artemis was out there, in her civvies. La’gaan was out in the bay, Superboy and Static were across in the eastward buildings, and Stephanie was paired with Tim, although he had just sent her to the basement to check things out. He thought about checking in with them but decided against it. He didn’t want to seem overbearing when in charge, and besides, they would contact him if anything came up.

A gun clicked behind Tim’s head. “Earpiece. Now. I’ll know if you alert anyone else.” Slowly, Tim reached into his ear and let the com drop, where an armored boot crushed it to pieces. “So, Robin, huh? You as good as they say you are?”

“I guess you’re just gonna have to find out.” In a flash his bo-staff was out, and Robin was on his feet, striking the gun out of his attacker’s hand and advancing with a series of short blows, all parried to perfection and with ease. Eventually the merc grabbed hold of the staff and sent Tim flying with a powerful kick, the shiny floor squeaking as he skidded across it.

“Look kid, if you keep up with this generic shit I’m gonna get real bored, real fast.” Tim heard the clang of his staff as it rolled away.

“Why, got somewhere to be?”

“Places to go, people to kill, you know the drill.” It was during this time that the Boy Wonder surveyed his opponent. He was lean, taller than Tim, and actually only a few years older, he guessed. He sported gray boots and gloves, contrasting with his black kevlar-reinforced body suit and jacket.

“Who hired you?” The merc smiled under his helmet. This Robin was accessing him, buying time to size him up, and he wasn’t about to give that to him. Leaping forward, he went on the offensive this time, lashing out and landing hit after hit, exploiting the gaps, if very small, in the Robin’s defense. The two traded blows, moving through the rooms at breakneck pace, the crowd roaring outside, Robin getting the edge on his opponent in speed and agility, but being outmatched in shear force. The merc knew that the speech would soon be over, and he needed to end this fight.

Tim’s eyes widened as his opponent pulled out a knife, landing on top of him, immediately breaching his defenses and slicing his arm. Robin was frustrated, his moves didn’t seem to land. The assassin matched up with perfect, well-timed counters to Tim’s strikes. He was being backed up forcefully, almost as if his opponent was driving him somewhere specific. He needed something, anything that could possibly throw his enemy off balance.

“Robin!” It was Spoiler. She came bolting around the corner wielding two batons, electricity sparking off them.

The merc almost growled. “Back off, bitch!” He fired the knife across the room, where it lodged itself in her shoulder. She let out a scream and tumbled to the floor in pain. “Holy hell that was quick. Is this the crap you guys train nowadays?”

Enraged, Tim tore the “R” off his chest, and thrust it into his shoulder, eliciting a snarl of rage from the warrior. Taking advantage, Robin headbutted his enemy, cracking his helmet. Grabbing him by the collar, the Boy Wonder flipped him over onto the ground. He pulled the merc to his feet, pinning him up against a door. The crowd roared once more as the sound echoed through the side alley that led out in front of the stage. “I’ll ask again. Who hired you?”

The merc spoke through his helmet, the crack distorting his mechanized voice ever so slightly, the sun gleaming off it through a window and into Tim’s eyes. “Boy you are a mixed bag, aren’t you?” Tim narrowed his eyes as he continued. “You’re a good fighter, I can tell. Smart. You think about every move, but you do it quickly. Yet you’re predictable. I can tell you practice everything until you’ve got it to a tee. A good trait, I’ll give you that, but it’s wasted. I gave you openings that you could’ve exploited by seriously hurting me. You saw them, I know you did. But you’re a product of the system - exactly what they want you to be. And you’re okay with that.”

Tim tightened his grip on the assassin. Was he talking about Batman? About Nightwing? “You don’t know anything about me.”

The merc chuckled dangerously. “Guess again. I know all kinds of shit about you. This fight told me everything. No wonder they were so quick to scoop you out of the nest; or into it, I should say. You are the cookie-cutter of a crime fighter they’ve wanted all along. You’re not your own Robin, you’re theirs. And that’s why I’m going to get what I want today. That’s why you’re going to fail, _Drake._ ”

Tim’s eyes widened under his domino mask. His grip loosened. “Wha-?”

He was cut off by a searing pain in his lower leg. A small shiv had slid from the toe of his enemy’s boot and with one kick had sent him doubling forward. The merc followed up with a head-butt of his own, grabbing Robin by the throat and slamming him backwards on the table. “You follow them blindly. That makes you weak.” Grasping a fistful of hair, he hurled him against the wall, forcing a grunt out of the younger fighter. Robin fell limp as the merc grabbed his cape, kicked open the door, and flung him out into the alleyway. “Go ahead, little bird! _Ask._ Ask me how I know all about who’s hiding under that mask of yours!” Robin struggled to get up, and a boot landed on his hand, grinding it against the hard concrete. The Boy Wonder grimmaced hard, desperately trying to summon the strength he needed to overcome this attack, but finding none. “Nothing? Is that it?” He received a half groan, half growl in response.

“Pathetic.” He glanced down and dug the “R” out of his shoulder, splattered with blood, and tossed it on the ground next to the Robin’s head. “You can have this back. Seems like you need it.” Dropping down to a knee, the merc picked up Tim’s head, holding it close to his own and pointing it in the direction of the street, where only a policeman stood guard between them and the wide expanse of concrete where the Senator held his rally. “See that cop over there, Timmy? That’s Raul. In about sixty seconds, I’m going to slip my man Raul a fat wad of cash. He’s going to let me through, and I’m going to put three bullets in Ryder’s chest. Then I’m going to detonate my charges in the bay, take care of whatever aquatic friend you’ve got lurking there, politely hand that blonde’s ass to her, and make my leave. And just remember, when all that is happening, you’ll be here, on your ass, beaten. Got that?”

Tim spit out blood and met the merc’s eye slits. “Who the hell are you?”

Robin could hear the smile in his voice as he responded. The world began to spin around him as the blackness he’d been fighting off finally swamped his vision, a tired and painful wave engulfing his body, and the last thing he heard before succumbing was the sound of three gunshots.

**WATCHTOWER**  
**DECEMBER 6, 19:16**

Barbara walked down the outermost corridor of the Watchtower. Her eyes were closed and her head was bowed. It was all over the news. All over. Senator Jeremy Ryder, lead candidate for Secretary of State, dead. Shot dead, in fact, by a helmeted assailant in broad daylight. The fact that the assassin had engaged Tigress and Static in public, and beat them both made things worse. (Beaten was a loose term, Barbara knew Artemis would have taken him down if it weren’t for the explosion in the bay, which had served as a way to take out La’gaan and as a distraction). It was as if the media couldn’t decide whether they were angry with the heroes for ignoring Ryder’s policy, or for letting him die. 

The redhead broke course to stare out the window, into the depths of space. It wasn’t the media that was worrying Barbara, though. In all her time as Batgirl, she had seen and faced many foes that had the ability to take down entire squads with ease. Usually, these were hulking masses wielding either far superior strength, intelligence, or power. Sometimes all three. Never had she heard of someone like him, someone who by all accounts had no powers, no special abilities besides the seemingly endless supply of foresight and inappropriate wit. She was worried for Tim most of all, and that thought pushed her onward to the medical bay, where she had been summoned. Robin had woken up.

Metal doors swooshed open to reveal Mal standing, a worried look on his face. Barbara greeted him with a nod. “How is he?”

“Better come see for yourself. He was roughed up pretty bad, and he’s drifting in and out, but he’s stable.” He said.

“Thanks.” Barbara walked past him and to the bed, sitting next to Artemis and Bart. “Kaldur?”

“Gone to get Batman.”

“And Cassie?”

Bart looked at the clock. “She’s on her way.”

She nodded and looked down. Tim looked small in the bed, his face bruised, bandages around his head and hands, his eyelids flickering slightly. They sat in silence, the TV blaring news of the Senator’s death. Anger built up in Barbara, seeing the boy she trained beside defeated, news of their failure broadcasting all over. “Will someone turn that off?” she snapped, and the TV was on for no more longer than a second before quieting. Bart put a hand on her shoulder, and Artemis glanced sympathetically. 

“The majority of it is minor injuries. He’s more exhausted than hurt, honestly.” Artemis said.

Barbara sighed. “I know. He’s strong, it’s just a matter of-“ she was cut off by a groan from the Boy Wonder. Tim’s eyes fluttered open and he shifted in discomfort. “Tim? Tim, its Barbara. Can you hear me?” Eyes glazed with pain, the third Robin looked at the girl he considered a sister and gave a hazy smile. Barbara smiled back and mussed his hair, feeling better. 

“Miss me?” he croaked out.

Before Barbara could answer, the doors swooshed open, and the Dark Knight charged into the room. “Update.” 

Narrowing her eyes at her mentor’s flat tone, Barbara spoke up. “He’s only just woken up. He’ll need time before-“

“Tim. Who did this? What do you remember?” 

Robin dropped his smile. His gaze hardened as he recalled what did this to him. Who did this to him. He remembered the name.

“Red Hood.”

**Epilogue**

**INFINITY ISLAND**  
**DECEMBER 6, 22:16**

She moved quickly through the hallway, the wooden floor beneath her not making a sound. She had been summoned by her master, and He wasn't one for waiting. She knew what it was about, and what was about to be asked of her. The girl passed by large stone pillars, spiraling high into archways that held up the compound. Her home. Shafts of moonlight broke through the shadows, falling over her feet as she walked. She quickened her pace, arriving in the courtyard where her master waited. Kneeling and lowering her head, she spoke. "Master."

Her master faced away from his pupil, gazing at his favorite fountain. He was much older than the girl, although it barely showed. Pinned to his shoulders was a green cape, it's ends just barely hovering over the stone ground; he hated it when it dragged; it was an inconvenience, and he _hated_ inconvenience. The man turned his head, but not his body. "The time has come, young one. He has returned."

The girl raised her eyes, her gaze darkening. She was not permitted to speak, but she did so anyway. "It was only a matter of time before he made himself known to us. What do you think his purpose is?"

Her master returned his own gaze to the fountain, it's spray darkening the ground in front of him. "There are many possibilities. I am in no rush to learn of his intentions. That will be your task, child." It was then the man turned fully, facing his pupil. "Stand." She did as she was told, rising in front of him as she had done many times before. "This will be a true test of your valor. A good way to make up for your previous… _renege._ "

Her fists balled up silently but she made no attempt at rebuttal. "I relish this opportunity, master. Using the trust of the ignorant-minded against themselves was one of the first things you taught me."

The old man allowed a smirk to rise above his moustache as he dismissed his pupil with a hand. "And rightfully so, my dear." As the girl bowed and began to exit the courtyard, he called her to a halt. "Oh, and child?" The young assassin paused. "Should you fail any aspect of this mission, do not expect to be welcomed back."

The girl narrowed her eyes and left her master. There would be no mistake this time. She had a job to do.


	2. Episode 3.2 - Adjustments

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Team deals with the fallout of their loss at the hands of the "Red Hood"; Artemis heads to Bludhaven in search of an old friend.

**MOUNT JUSTICE**  
**DECEMBER 1, 21:54**  
**TEAM YEAR TWO**

"Uh, thanks Connor." Dick held a red toothbrush in his hand, courtesy of Superboy, who looked rather pleased at his gift. "My sixteenth year on Earth would be a complete waste without proper dental hygiene." he joked. The Team was gathered in the lounge for the Boy Wonder's birthday, which naturally had evolved into the commonplace wisecrack session late into the night.

"Hey wait a second," Wally chimed in with mock suspicion, "Isn't that what you got me for my birthday?"

"Yours was yellow." Superboy deadpanned.

Zatanna sat down on the couch with a piece of cake, eyes glinting mischievously. "Maybe he's trying to tell you something, boys."

Wally narrowed his eyes and held up a finger. "One, I floss, which is more than most of you can say. And B, that was hilarious, Zee, but last time I checked, I was the funny one."

Artemis entered the room with her own piece of cake, and stood for a moment behind the couch, putting a hand on Wally's shoulder. "The only thing funny about you is how quick your friend down there gets excited after I feed you pie."

Dick and Barbara burst out laughing at that one, and Rocket high-fived the blonde. "Girl takin' the funny man down! Point Artemis!"

The speedster blushed beet-red at that, failing to think of a comeback and resolving to mutter to himself. "Only if it's good pie."

Superboy spoke up around a mouthful of, well, pie. "All pie is good pie."

Barbara raised her glass. "Amen to that!"

…..

It was almost midnight, and Dick and Wally found themselves the only survivors of the night, with the rest of the team in bed, and the two best friends walking on the beach, void of snow. Dick had his hands in his jacket pockets, glasses off, something he really only did with Wally. The latter had on a t-shirt and shorts, keeping himself warm by vibrating slightly, something Dick used to think was weird but had gotten used to.

"So," Wally broke his way into the silence, his mouth full of some food Dick knew wasn't served at the party. "Have you decided what you're going to do yet?"

Dick sighed. "I don't know, KF. I feel like I know what to do but I just can't figure out how. Or even why."

Wally thought for a moment. "Think of it as a promotion. You've earned that and more for all your years as the Boy Wonder. Besides, what's Bats gonna say, 'no'?" He cleared his throat and began to vibrate his vocal cords to match the tone of the Dark Knight. 'I demand you stay dressed as a small bird all the way through puberty, even when your bulge starts to test the limits of the same pre-pubescent spandex you've been wearing since-'"

Dick put a hand in the air and stopped his friend mid-sentence as the latter broke off into a chuckle. "Alright, alright, I get it. By the way, you nailed that."

"Little known fact: I could be Batman if I wanted, but I figure I let Bruce have the fun." The two laughed and walked in silence some more, the only sound being the crashing of waves on the shore. Soon the speedster stopped walking, getting serious. "You know; this is a big decision for you. Creating an entirely new identity, becoming your own hero. This is big stuff. Certainly not something that I'm considering doing anytime soon. But you've earned it. And I just want you to know that whatever you decide, I'm with you. I've got your back every step of the way. That's what a best friend is for."

Dick looked at him and smiled. "Thanks, Wally. That means a lot."

"Welp, just don't forget to mention me in your acceptance speech for 'Best New Hero' at the Super-Oscars. Which, by the way, I call dibs on hosting if it ever becomes a thing."

The pair started up their trek again, with Wally talking to himself. "Red Robin? No, too yummy."

Dick stopped and glanced curiously at his friend. "Wally?"

"Red X? Mysterious, but means nothing."

"Wally."

"Ooh, how about Red Wing? Nah, something about that screams too much Detroit."

"Wally!" KF stopped talking. "What are you doing?"

"Well someone's gotta think up a new name for you sooner or later. Might as well start now," the youngest West said with a grin.

Dick was smiling, too. "All three of those were ridiculous. And what's with the all the red?"

Wally shrugged. "I mean; it _is_ the color of your toothbrush."

And with that, the quiet beach was filled with the sound of laughter.

 **THE WATCHTOWER**  
**DECEMBER 11, 05:16**  
**TEAM YEAR SIX**

The gym echoed with a series of punches and grunts. Multiple TV's played different stations around the room, all on one topic.

_"...the nation remains stunned by the sudden death of Senator Ryder…"_

_"...Luthor putting out a statement late last night calling for justice…"_

_"...or not these so-called heroes can be trusted with anything…"_

Tim Drake stood in the middle of the room, unleashing a flurry of blows on his selected punching bag, a determined look glaring through a layer of sweat. His ears seemed to be bombarded with constant criticism, constant judgement, constant reminders… with a hard jab sand came pouring out of a tear in the leather at the Boy Wonder's feet. As soon as that bag was down another was up, and Tim resumed his assault of violent strikes.

_"If anyone can just waltz in and take out a cabinet-hopeful, then there's something to be said about the 'protection' these heroes are providing."_

_"The Senator didn't want them there, Gordon."_

_"That hasn't stopped them before, has it? And it didn't stop them that day either. First, they fail to adhere to his wishes, and even then, they still allow him to die. If the league and their sidekicks insist on pushing themselves on anyone they choose, then they should at least be held accountable for when things go wrong. That's why we have visionaries like Lex Luthor. Now he's a man who knows how to properly deal with issues like this…"_

Tim suddenly yelped in pain on contact with his bag. Wrong technique. He was flustered, not focused. As far as he was concerned, the Senator's death was his fault. He had let this "Red Hood" beat him. Beat him bad. Tim couldn't recall ever being more outmatched in his life. Sure, he'd been beaten before, but this just felt different. It was as if the assassin had a scouting report based solely on him. Like he knew every move and the one that followed before Tim even thought of it. _He even knows my name. What else does he know?_ He re-wrapped his hand, bleeding now, and watched beads of sweat hit the floor. It was times like these where he needed his brother. It was times like these where Dick would make him feel like he had one, even though he really didn't. He was his rock in these moments, when Tim struggled to have confidence in his own self. Robin found it was easier now than it was in the beginning of his vigilante career to find that confidence, but this was uncharted territory. Territory Tim didn't know if he could brave alone.

"Hey, wonder boy."

Tim turned toward the voice and smiled. _God she's beautiful._

Cassie walked in through the door with a playful smirk. "You know, you're supposed to be resting."

"Eh, that was never my thing."

A silence stretched between them. Cassie spoke up as Tim bent down to unwrap his hands. "Tim…"

"What, Cass?" His tone was sharp, and he almost expected her to flinch, mostly because he did once he said it. He dropped his shoulders but kept his voice firm. "Look, I get it. I got curb stomped by some asshole in a motorcycle helmet. I'll do better next time, or whatever." He threw his towel down and began to wrap his hands once more when a soft hand rested on them, followed by a soft voice.

"You know I don't care about that." Cassie's other hand went up to the back of Tim's neck, playing with the bottom of his hair. "I care about you. Not because you got beat but because of how your allowing yourself to think about it." She stopped for a moment and gestured to all the TV's with her eyes. Tim sighed. She was right. He didn't know why he was surprised - she always was. He looked into her eyes and offered up a small smile.

"You're right, Cass. Thanks."

She smiled right back and leaned closer to her boyfriend, dropping her voice to a whisper. "Now you should listen to me and get some rest."

Tim should've been taken by her eyes like he usually was, taken by the moment. But he wasn't. All his thoughts were on his fight with the Red Hood. Even as Cassie leaned in to kiss him, his thoughts were on the assassin. _Okay, now that's super weird,_ he acknowledged and gave into his girlfriend's embrace.

**…..**

Artemis sat at the table, arms crossed. Across from her were Barbara and Roy, both in civvies, while Aqualad stood at the head and Superboy paced the floor.

"It's been almost a week, I don't see why we can't just-"

"Do _not_ bring him into this, Artemis. He's spent months trying to get away from all of this. You can't just ruin that for him." Artemis scowled as Barbara cut her off, and the redhead went on. 

"Tim is recovering just fine and we can do our own investigation. There's no reason to rope him in."

Artemis rolled her eyes and repeated herself for what felt like the 10th time. "Maybe he knows something about this Red Hood that you don't."

"And why would he?" Batgirl shot back, a fire in her eyes Artemis was only used to seeing on the battlefield.

"Call it a hunch." The archer's answer was hissed through gritted teeth; she was losing her patience. She hated arguing with Barbara, the bat-protégé was well-respected by the Team, and held in high regard by Nightwing, whose judgement Artemis trusted above all others. But this wasn't the first time that the two had butted heads, and they both knew that it wouldn't be the last. Artemis knew she was only trying to protect Dick, trying to keep him away from the game, but something inside Artemis told her that he needed to be brought back, or at least into the loop, once more. Whether or not it was that ever-present part of Wally in her, that part that held her closer to Gotham's golden boy than any of the others in the room, she knew that he was needed for this fight, and she wasn't going to let anyone stop her.

"Enough." The calm, commanding voice of Aqualad silenced the bickering. "Let's go over what we know about this 'Red Hood'. Superboy."

Connor walked over from the window, his arms crossed. "He knew enough to take our comms, cut off communication. And it seems like he knows our weaknesses, or at least mine."

Red Arrow spoke from his spot at the table. "To be fair, yours isn't the most kept secret in the world."

Superboy nodded. "Agreed. But it also shows that he has the resources to get Kryptonite in his hands. And a lot of it."

"Money and connections. Pretty impressive for someone just starting out, don't you think?" Roy said.

"He could be somebody we've faced before. He seemed to know an awful lot about how to take down some of our best fighters." Barbara put in.

The compliment was enough to let Artemis know that their spat was over, for now, and she found herself agreeing with the redhead. "There was something familiar about the way he moved. His fighting style was unique, but definitely based off something we've seen before."

Kaldur, who had been quiet since starting the discussion, offered a question. "Could it be a Shadow?"

Roy stood up, checking the clock. "I've checked with Cheshire. She's never seen the guy before but said she'll ask around. I'll let you know if anything comes up. I've got a briefing to go to. Coming, Superboy?"

The two left with a nod and exited the room, leaving Tigress with Aqualad and Batgirl. It was Aqualad who spoke, addressing Barbara. "Speaking of leads, how are yours coming along?"

"Other than the fact that 'Red Hood' was Joker's alias before he went clown, nothing. Batman's working that one 'round the clock, so we should have something soon."

"Anything about how he could possibly know Robin's identity?"

"Nothing. For now we have to assume that he knows a great deal about the rest of us, too. We're already at the point where we can't afford to underestimate him."

"Agreed. Let me know when you come up with something. In the meantime, I have an assignment for you. Meet me in the briefing room in five, I've already told the others."

Barbara got up and nodded. "Alright." With a glance at Artemis, she left the room.

Aqualad turned to the blonde and smiled. "I thought I would have to separate you two."

"Come on, Kaldur, you know it never gets that far… usually," she added with a laugh.

"I don't know why you two don't get along."

"We get along, it's just… difference of opinion."

The two laughed and let silence take over. It was a few moments before Aqualad got up and began to prep the Zeta Tube. "What are you doing?"

Her friend turned back with a smirk. "You are going after Dick, aren't you?"

**…..**

Bart zipped through the Team's section of the Watchtower. They were given a considerable amount of space, with full training areas, lounges, and living quarters, although the latter two didn't matter much to him. They shouldn't. He was a speedster. An _Allen_. And Allens never had the time of day to sit around and do nothing, even though with Bart's speed he had all the time he wanted.

As he raced through the rooms, he thought about how he could be doing nothing, but had to do something. That happened a lot with him. Jaime had just been called down to the briefing room, so Bart went looking for Tim. He knew exactly where he was if not resting, and he made his way to the gym. _Probably punching the hell out of bags like he was Captain America at the beginning of_ Avengers _, an oldie but a goodie._ Bart liked to think of himself as the reverse-Captain America, stuck in a time that wasn't his, doing what he could to help fend off evil in a world vastly different, yet similar, to what he had previously lived his life knowing. _Only Steve was catapulted to a future he knew nothing about, instead of a past he was forced to change because of what he knew._ Bart was taking his time, and had just reached the door to the gym. _And if anyone asked me to smash Emily VanCamp, I certainly wouldn't say- HOLY CRAP!_

It all unfolded in slow motion. Bart slipping through the opening door, his eyes bugging out as he came face to face with Tim and Cassie in a full-on makeout sesh. It was too late to stop. If he did, no amount of speed could save him from a one-way ticket to awkwardville. He had to keep going, and going fast. _I always thought that I would run the fastest in my life to save the world, not this._ As he passed the couple, he fought the urge to gag. _God, whose tongue is that?_ Screwing his eyes shut and picking up his tempo, he blasted around in a circle and shot out the door in record time, probably leaving the two wondering if a ghost was opening doors in the Watchtower.

Bart's breath of relief was cut short when he caught sight of Spoiler in front of him. "Whoa, watch out!" he skidded to a slide, taking the blonde's feet out from under her and sending both young heroes into a sprawling mess. Bart stared in alarm at the smaller girl, worried until she sat up, her eyes holding a faint trace of annoyance, but mostly filled with laughter.

"Usually it's considered nice to give a girl some warning before you cannon into her like that."

"Sorry I was just… I didn't really mean to," he cut himself off when he realized that her blue eyes were amused, not angry. _Man, those eyes are really blue…_ Kid Flash realized she was still staring at him, from the ground. He himself had stood up, and silently cursing himself he offered her a hand so she could as well.

Spoiler got up and shook her hair, and Bart realized that this was the first time they had even seen each other outside of costume. "Thanks," she started, looking over the speedster's shoulder and down the hall, "Have you seen Robin? I wanted to see how he was doing but he wasn't in the medical bay." Bart's eyes widened in alarm as she continued. "Is he in the gym?"

His hand shot up to the side of his neck, as it always did when he lied. "Uhh, negative, nope. He is definitely not in the gym."

"Well I'm just gonna check, to be sure." She went past Bart, and he sped in front of her again. 

"Hi again."

Kid was in full stammer mode, hand never leaving his neck, words tumbling out and stumbling together as he tore through fabricated idea after fabricated idea. "Hi. Yeah no you can't go in there right now, there's a gas leak – yeah, a gas leak that's totally under control so you don't have to tell anyone about it cause it's all under control but not to the point where it's safe to go in so really you should just wait." _Bartholomew Allen, king of the run-on sentence,_ Bart thought as he mentally facepalmed himself.

Spoiler laughed and conceded. "Alright then. I guess I'll come back later." Bart relaxed his shoulders and nodded, as Spoiler turned around to leave. _Come on, Allen. Say something!_  
"Uh, you know, I could help you learn to dodge." He called out, causing her to turn back.

"Dodge?"

 _Genius._ When he was done mentally berating himself, Bart ran a hand through his hair and gestured to her shoulder, where she still bore gauze from her blade wound. "I know I'm used to doing it at high speeds, but I think I can help. If you'll have me."

Spoiler studied the older boy for a moment, then smiled. "I'd like that." With a flip of her hair, she started away down the hall.

Bart watched her go, and suddenly shouted out, "Spoiler – wait! What's your name? Like, your real name? Mine's Bart."

The blonde didn't break stride but spoke teasingly to the boy known as Kid Flash and said, "You just said it – Spoiler." And with a laugh she was gone.

_Maybe being stuck in the past isn't so bad after all._

**BLUDHAVEN**  
**DECEMBER 11, 17:59**

"Huh!"

Tigress drove the breath out of what felt like her hundredth helpless thug of the day. A well-placed elbow sent the man toppling backward and into a pair of trash cans with a loud crash. _Maybe that'll get his attention._ She had been in Bludhaven for hours, busting up thugs and foiling purse-snatchers, always waiting for the crime to play out, hoping to see a lithe shape strike from the shadows. _Can't really blame him for not showing up. This place is so crawling with scum, it can't be easy to keep track of everything,_ Artemis thought as she nailed the next one on the head with her crossbow and fired a bolt into the shoulder of another who had gotten up. His groan melted to silence, and the alleyway grew stagnant.

Artemis picked her way around the bodies and made her way to the edge of the alley, surveying the city. She knew Dick had settled back in Bludhaven, although she didn't know where. It was common knowledge amongst the original members of the team that him and Barbara spent their respective birthday nights with each other, ever since the two were 16, regardless of whether or not they were single. What they did during those nights was rarely stated aloud, but heavily implied, and although they weren't a thing, Artemis suspected those nights came more often than advertised.

Their last "get together", just over a week ago, Artemis checked the zeta tube location history once Barbara had left, and knew Bludhaven had been her destination, she just wished it had been more specific. His old apartment spot wasn’t an option, it had been rented out shortly after Dick went incognito. A rustle behind her removed her from her thoughts, and she turned around to see one thug get to his feet.

"Back for more?"

The thug looked darkly at Tigress, and leaped up an inhuman distance to the fire escape above.  
"Alright. Totally wasn't expecting that." She fired two bolts in his direction, the thug leaping backwards and attaching himself to the brick wall with the palms of his hands. "Okay, not whelmed anymore." _Just because you're going after Dick doesn't mean you should talk like him._ She suddenly wished that he wouldn't show up, if only to save her from knowing that he'd never let her live that one down. The thug began crawling up the wall, and vanished over the top. Tigress drew her sword and made her pursuit.

Leaping over the wall, Artemis landed with a grunt. _Gone._ Frustrated, she re-sheathed her sword and dropped to a knee to analyze the bootprint in the light sheet of snow. Then everything went dark.

**…..**

_"Morning Babe. I was gonna make you breakfast, but… I ate it."_  
_"I figured. That's why I ordered 'waffles in a box'"_  
_"Waffles… in a box?"_  
_"It's new but sweeping the nation. I'm surprised you haven't heard of it."_  
_"I love you, babe."_

Artemis snapped awake. Her head buzzed, and her vision struggled to fight the blur that was clouding it. She groaned and tried to move a hand to her head, only to find that her hands were tied behind her back. "Shit." The chair she sat in was hard and wooden, but also uneven. The back legs were shorter than the front. She would've smiled if her head didn't hurt so damn much. _Whichever freak cheapshotted me like that is gonna get it._ The blur in her eyes began to dissipate, and Tigress noticed that she was still in costume, not even her mask had been removed. _Idiots._

"Comfortable?" A hiss sounded from the shadows, as a skinny man emerged from behind a stack of crates.

Artemis began to shift around in her rope cuffs, digging out the small knife she had stowed in her gloves. "I was never really into bondage, plus it kinda creeped out my boyfriend... mostly because he was the one with the cuffs on."

The man gestured to the warehouse they were in, void of much besides him, Artemis, and about 8 goons, all armed, and among them the one Artemis had seen crawl up the wall earlier. "I hope you appreciate our… accomidationsss."

Tigress sliced open her ropes, but held on to them. "Call me when you decide whether you want to be a spider or a snake. I'm not partial to either."

_Chink_

Suddenly, in front of the leader's feet, was a batarang. Artemis smiled. Two more flew in from the rafters, lodging themselves in guns and detonating in the hands of the startled goons. As Artemis ripped her hands from her restraints, smoke started spewing out of the first batarang, giving her time to burst through and take out the leader with one punch. Soon smoke was everywhere, and Artemis took advantage. Thug #4, down with a knee to the face. 5 and 6, taken out with the chair, and 7, the cause of her still-present headache, sent flying into the crates with a roundhouse kick. _Now where is – there._ Tigress spotted the last one, fleeing up the wall and into the rafters. He disappeared, and a moment later was sent flying back to the floor, landing on some more crates with a thud.

Artemis retrieved her weapons and raised her voice to the darkness. "Had me thinking it was Batman to the rescue with all the sneaking around."

"Is a dramatic entrance too much to ask for?" The response was light, but lacked the spirit of old. Either way, there was no denying that the hero walking out of the shadows, the blue on his costume having turned red, a 5 o'clock shadow resting on a normally smooth, clean-shaven face, was none other than Dick Grayson, Nightwing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone, it's TheHer0!
> 
> This is Young Justice Season 3: Return. I've also got this story up on FFN, so we'll be seeing it updated on both platforms from now on. Something else I'm trying out is a separate platform for some behind the scenes stuff, which will include me giving out information on certain characters and plotlines ranging from previews to answering any questions regarding Season 3 and beyond. So I've set up a Tumblr, although i'll admit I don't know the right way to format things there, or the best way to maximize a connection/community with readers, so if anyone wants to help me out with that, or just check things out while I'm still setting things up, you can head over to my tumblr at TheHer0-t, or pm me at TheHer0 on FFN!
> 
> As always, I appreciate feedback, so send em in! Whether it's here, over at FFN, or on Tumblr, make your voices heard! Throw some comments my way, and i'll be sure to read them. I'm in this thing for the long haul, so a fluid sense of positive and constructive communication is key to us really developing a community around this thing, and for me to keep producing the highest quality content for you all to enjoy!
> 
> So, remember to Read, Review, and Recommend! Be on the lookout for Episode 3 on here, titled "Fear" (it's a two parter, so buckle in!)


	3. Episode 3.3 - Fear Part One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Batgirl leads her team on a rescue mission, but things may not be what they seem. Artemis and Dick confront their grief.

**WESTERN MONGOLIA**

**DECEMBER 11, 18:00**

The cavern was silent. Dark shadows crept at every corner, and the center was bare with cold stone. Suddenly, a slight hum grew from seemingly nowhere, and LIGHT filled the room. One by one, screens came to life at the head of the cavern, and five faces appeared. Two screens remained dormant. One voice, the first face to appear, spoke to the others.

"Are all members present?"

"Yes." The rest of the voices seemed to speak in unison.

"Then we shall begin."

**GOTHAM CITY**

**DECEMBER 11, 17:47**

Batgirl peered out at the old Museum of Gotham. It had been shut down for renovations, but now it was the center of Alpha Squad's attention. By Alpha Squad she meant Blue Beetle, Guardian, and Bumblebee. Not her. She was thinking about Dick. (Not in that way) She was thinking about Dick Grayson, and how Artemis was almost definitely in Bludhaven right now, seeking him out, trying to drag him back in the game. Barbara hated to admit, she had a point in consulting him. Usually she wouldn't mind, but she knew Dick, and she knew that any bit of inclusion in the Team's activities would be enough to launch him right back in the thick of it.

 _He needs more time,_ she thought. When Wally died, they had all suffered, but it was different with Dick. A part of him died that day, too. _No one knows the amount of pain he had to go through._ Barbara felt guilty as soon as she thought it. _Artemis does,_ spoke a voice in the back of her head, _Artemis didn't just lose her best friend, she lost the love of her life._ Perhaps she was the right one to talk to him. Batgirl had thought about Dick returning, about how she felt that being a part of the Team again would only distract him from his grief, when he needed to see it through. Then again, Artemis never stopped fighting, never took a break, and maybe, just maybe she could instill the same characteristic in Nightwing.

"Batgirl?"

Barbara was taken from her thoughts by Blue Beetle, who had flown over from the other rooftop across from the museum. "Yeah Blue?"

"I said, we're ready."

Batgirl shook her head and thought back to Aqualad's briefing. In that museum was Dr. Jonathan Crane, a psychiatrist at Arkham Asylum. He had gone missing weeks ago, only to turn up long enough to sneak a hurried video message to the League, telling of his location. The message ended with the doctor's captors finding him, and they did not take kindly to his plea for help. "It's time to go." _If he's even still alive,_ Barbara thought grimly.

…..

Batgirl slipped through one of the many hallways, and took cover at a corner. Jaime buzzed up behind her, and she placed a gloved finger to her ear. "Guardian? Bee?"

"Right here," came the reply, and Barbara saw the two approach at the other end of the hallway.

"No sign of anyone." Separating them was a wide room, and at a silent nod Alpha rolled out into it, approaching a solid metal gate. The four spread out, while Batgirl approached the computer terminal and began tapping away on her own forearm.

Blue Beetle landed near a glass case and peered inside. "The gun that killed Luigi 'Big Lou' Maroni. Unknown assailant." _**That is incorrect, Jaime Reyes. The real weapon resides underground, at his grave in Gotham Cemetery.**_ "A bit dark, don't ya think?" _**For him, yes, considering he lies in a coffin.**_ "Remind me again when you got a sense of humor?"

"So, Gotham girl, you ever come here?" Mal asked, surveying the walls.

"Once when I was little," Batgirl replied, not looking up. "My dad was always pretty busy, so someone else took me."

"Babysitter? 

"Bruce Wayne."

Mal and Karen stopped and turned to Batgirl. "Girl, you know Bruce Wayne?"

"Something like that." A few more seconds passed. "I'm in." The door started to lift off the ground with a rusty _creak_ sound. "Alpha, form up." Batgirl brandished a batarang, Blue Beetle readied his sonic cannon, Guardian got into a fighting stance, and Bumblebee shrunk down, her stingers sparking. The door retracted all the way up, and the squad tensed. Nothing. Slowly, the four heroes advanced into the room, their footsteps echoing. The opposing wall was almost entirely window, where a thin wave of moonlight began to shower the room.

Karen spoke. "Uh, guys?" The rest followed her gaze to a chair in the middle of the room, in it was a limp body, its scrawny arms dangling over the side and head hanging low.

Batgirl narrowed her eyes. "Blue?"

It was a moment before he responded. "No vitals. We're too late."

"Shit." Barbara raced forward, putting a hand on the body's shoulder. She immediately pulled back, feeling it rustle beneath her. _Straw?_ It was on her glove, the ground, and it stuffed the shoulder of what she thought was Jonathan Crane. Batgirl yanked the chair around, and the body spilled out and onto the ground.

"Is that a…?"

"Scarecrow." Barbara replied, her mind racing.

Suddenly, the door they had opened clicked, and started to race downwards. "Trap! Go!" The squad bolted back, the door closing rapidly. Blue Beetle shot ahead of the group and started to reach out for the door, when there was a flash of white-hot, blue energy. It collided with Jaime, and sent him soaring through the air and tumbling along the ground, smoking. A voice sounded from the corner of the room as the door shut with a heavy thud.

"Why leave? We're just getting started."

**BLUDHAVEN**

**DECEMBER 11, 18:42**

"New place. I liked your old one."

"Me too." 

Artemis stepped into the apartment, closing the door behind her. She looked around, taking note of how the floor creaked automatically when she walked in. _He can't seriously be okay with that,_ she thought, _especially for someone who prides himself on being light-footed._ It was a small apartment, a living room, kitchen, and a hallway which she guessed led to a bedroom. "So why this place?"

Dick had walked farther into the room, taking off his domino mask. "There's a techno-drug dealer I've been tailing. Has a place across the street for the time being. See?" Artemis took off her own mask and looked out the window, where there was a light on in a room directly across from her. "He's got ties to a Cobra splinter group that has operations here. Those guys we just busted? They're part of it. I'll have to have a talk with them at the precinct tomorrow."

Artemis smirked and looked at her friend. "Dick Grayson the cop, huh?"

"Detective. It's only temporary."

"Crimefighter in the day… also crimefighter at night?"

Dick took off the shirt of his costume and draped it over his couch. "Honestly, I haven't been doing much at night."

"Or much of anything." Artemis looked pointedly at his stubble, and around at the messy state of the living room. 

Dick didn't answer.

It was then Artemis realized that he was standing there in his underwear. "Sorry," he said, "I thought I had clothes out here."

She sighed, walking over to one of the walls. "Nothing I haven't seen before."

"Let me go change." He looked down at himself. "It's cold in here."

"Sure it is."

"It is!" The former Boy Wonder's indignant reply was faint as he disappeared down the hallway. Artemis hardly heard him. Her gaze was fixed on the wall, more specifically the pictures. He had pictures everywhere, framed on the walls of his apartment. There was one of him and Barbara, dressed up and smiling at Junior Prom. Artemis remembered that night - Dick, Artemis, and Wally busting 3 arms deals in half an hour, the boys in their suits and herself in her prom dress – practically racing to the dance with not a moment to spare. Next to it was of all four of them later that night, and Artemis smiled at the thought of Wally sneaking in, pretending to be various Gotham Academy students from Dick's grade when questioned. Artemis was a year older but wanted to spend it with her friends, and she still remembered that night as one of the best of her life.

She walked further down the wall, passing pictures of younger Dick – mathlete of the year, athlete of the year, one of him and Bruce when he graduated High School. She walked and soon she was in the hallway, looking at all the pictures. Him and Zatanna, him and Connor and Roy, although the latter didn't seem too enthusiastic about things. Dick, on the other hand, was smiling. Just as he was in all the photos. Smiling that bright smile and beaming into the camera with that teasing, fun gleam in his blue eyes. Artemis knew immediately what had been missing when she looked at Dick now. 

There was no smile. Not in the way Dick Grayson was famous for. That ever-present shine in his eyes had vanished, replaced by something dull. Something foreign. Something familiar. She knew exactly what was behind those eyes. She knew first-hand. The man in the bedroom Artemis had begun to approach was not Dick Grayson. The man in there was haunted by grief, by loss, and Artemis wasn't sure if he would ever be the same.

She opened the door to Dick's bedroom, and he almost jumped. "Jesus, Artemis, I could've been naked in here." 

"Again, nothing I haven't seen."

"Hey. What did I say about that business in Tokyo? We _never_ speak of it."

"Everything was going fine until-"

"It's not my fault acid burns through _everything._ Plus, it worked as a great distraction."

"For Donna, yeah." The two laughed and Artemis sat down next to Dick on the edge of his bed. "I don't think she looked you in the eyes for a whole month after that."

He smiled, and Artemis turned her attention to the wall. More pictures. The Team in its entirety after Zatanna joined, believe it or not the first team photo they actually took out of uniform. Another of Tim and him, using the younger boy's head as an armrest. To its right was one that made Artemis smile. Dick had taken it on her first day at Gotham Academy. Then, it was merely Artemis Crock, looking like a deer in headlights, as some cackling freshman held her close and snapped a selfie, only to vanish as soon as he had appeared. Now, it meant much more. _We'll laugh about this someday._

"Did we?" Dick spoke aloud, almost as if he could read her thoughts. "Ever laugh about that, I mean?"

She turned to him. "Probably. You little asshole, dropping hints like it was your day job."

"Brilliance in hindsight."

"Is that what they call it?"

The two fell silent, and Artemis looked back over. She looked at his nightstand, and saw two frames. One was of Dick and the rest of his family, the Flying Graysons. The other was a simple photo, but the one that pulled at her heartstrings the most. It was Dick, maybe about 15, in a T-shirt and jeans, his arm draped over the shoulders of the boy next to him. Red hair. Freckles. Annoyingly handsome grin. Features of the boy Artemis would give anything to see again, to _feel_ again, even if she saw him all the time in her dreams. 

"I miss him, Artemis."

"We all do."

More silence. Tension grew in the air, as if they were both waiting for the question to come up.

"How are they? The Team, I mean." 

Artemis looked at him. "Fine. You'd be proud of Tim. Barbara too. They're natural leaders." 

Dick let out a small smile. "Not that I ever had any doubts."

"You could come see for yourself…"

"No." Dick sighed and got up. "I'm taking a break, remember?"

"Dick Grayson was never one for taking breaks."

"Times change."

"But they don't have to change the person."

"Problem?"

"A bit, yeah."

Dick turned, raising his voice. He clearly didn't want to talk about this. "What do you want Artemis? You didn't come here just to chat. You want me back on the Team, don't you? You're asking me to come back."

"And what's so wrong with that?" Artemis stood up too, raising her voice, exasperated. She knew where this was going. "You were our leader, Dick. And you think it's okay to just shut us out like this? Pretend you have nothing to do with us?"

"It's not like that and you know it, Artemis. Besides, Kaldur has Tim and Babs, you said it yourself."

"They need you too, Dick. Maybe you would realize that if you didn't sit here on your ass for five months!"

Dick turned, angry. "What the hell, Artemis? Are you serious right now? All I've been doing is working. Thinking. Trying to make sense of it all!"

"What?"

"Wally goddammit!" Dick looked away, breathing heavily. The silence stretched between them. "I can't be with the Team now. We started it. Me, him, and Kaldur. And now he's gone. He _disappeared,_ Artemis. I can't just take that as fact and move on."

Artemis lowered her eyes in thought. "You're looking for him." She whispered. Her eyes flicked back up to her friend, who walked to the edge of the room, pulling open a door. Inside was a minefield of research. Corkboards, whiteboards, computers, everything. Research on the Flash, Kid Flash, Speed Force Theory, any scrap of information that could only serve the desperate. With one look into his eyes Artemis knew it was breaking him. "Dick…" The raven-haired boy looked at her, a fire in his eyes. "Don't do this to yourself."

"Fine, it's not the way you would handle it," he spat, "what do you care?"

 _It's changed him._ Not one bit of the man in front of her resembled the Dick she knew. "I care about you, Dick. This isn't you."

"Well at least I'm doing something about it! You're acting like you don't even care that he's dead!" he yelled. It got quiet, and Dick went plunging back to earth. Instant regret. He reached out to his friend. "I-"

She backed away. "Don't you dare." She knew he felt bad, he slipped, but everything Artemis was holding inside, everything she had fought hard to contain, came flowing out. "He was my world. I loved him. Not a day goes by where I don't think about him. When I close my eyes, I hear him. I hear him laugh, I hear his voice. When I wake up in the morning and I'm not in his arms, I roll over. And when he's not there, I think about how he could be in the bathroom. Or the kitchen. Then it all comes rushing back. He's not going to be next to me. He's not going to be in the bathroom or the kitchen, either. Not now not ever again. Because he's gone." Tears began to form, rolling down her cheeks.

"And I'm afraid, Dick. I'm afraid that one day I'll wake up and I won't miss the feeling of being in his arms. That one day I won't expect him to be in bed, or in the bathroom, or the kitchen. I'm more afraid of that than of anything I've ever been afraid of. Most of all I'm scared that trying so hard to prevent that day will break me." She looked up and added softly, "Like it's doing to you."

His eyes flicked up, and she continued. "I know Dick Grayson. What I saw back there? That wasn't you. You were defeated. Distraught. But what was that you told me? Back at Mount Justice all those years ago?" 

Dick was silent for a few moments, then he spoke.

"Get traught."

"That's right. Get traught, or get dead. That's what you told me. And that's what I'm telling you now. Don't let your grief take over your life." 

Dick looked into her eyes. He saw pain, lots of it. But he also saw strength. Strength to not let the pain take over her life. Strength he knew he had, but had been pushing back. "I just… I don't want to forget him, Artemis."

She moved forward, taking his hands in her own. "And we won't. We don't have to wear him on our sleeve, using his death to dictate everything we do. Because he's in here," She placed their hands on Dick's chest, just above his heart. "He always has been." He nodded, understanding for what felt like the first time. "That's how he would want it." 

Dick felt tension release, like he was free of his burden. It wasn't that easy, he knew, and it would be a while before he was fully at peace with his best friend's death, but in that moment, with Artemis, he felt the best he had in a long time.

She reached up and hugged him, hugged Dick Grayson for the first time in a while. It was long overdue. They had lost Wally. Bestfriend. Boyfriend. Hero. Together, they wouldn't forget him, they _couldn't_ forget him, and although it would be tough, the two had each other, and that alone was plenty comfort for them both. 

**WESTERN MONGOLIA**

**DECEMBER 11, 18:04**

The cavern remained bare, and on the screens were the faces of The Light, deep in conference. "It is time for the first candidate. Who will speak first?" The first voice asked.

"I will, Vandal," another voice answered. A hologram appeared in the middle of the cave, for all to see. "I propose Bane. He brings superior strength and a tactical mind. Not to mention his army is a great resource." Consenting murmurs ran through the others, but Vandal Savage spoke.

"An asset, yes. But a pawn he must remain. If we put him in a position equal to ours, we may lose the services of The Kobra. He and his cult are a valuable asset as well, and ever since their... disagreement, we can not afford to lose one in favor of the other, Bee." Queen Bee thought about it for a moment, then nodded. Vandal continued. "Lex?"

The projection changed from Bane to Deathstroke, and Luthor spoke. "I suggest Deathstroke. We all know he is much more than a mercenary, and he has done fine work as Sportsmaster's replacement."

The rest nodded in approval. "With the Brain in detainment, Mr. Wilson would serve as a splendid addition to our ranks. Certainly a more active one," said Savage.

A cackle broke out from another screen. "I don't know, Lex. The guy's a bit of a stiff. Trust you to shove him forward."

"And who do you propose, Klarion?"

The Witch Boy changed the hologram to a face that made the other founders groan. "As a lord of chaos, I'm always welcoming to those with an eccentric side. I know he's a bit... occupied right now, but when he's back on his feet, I propose we give The Joker the respect he deserves."

A resounding "No." came from the other four.

"But what if-"

"NO."

"Oh, fine. None of you are any fun, anyway." Klarion pouted and snapped his fingers, cutting the connection.

Queen Bee turned to the remaining founder. "Ra's? who have you brought for us?"

The projection in front of them changed to a familiar face.

"Ocean-Master? Have you forgotten his disgrace?"

Ra's voiced his defense. "Of course not. He is expendable, no different from before. With Manta imprisoned in Atlantis we could use an eye on the inside. Someone else familiar with opposition to their King." The others remained silent in thought, and he continued. "Once we find a way to bring Manta back, if we choose to reinstate him, we throw Ocean-Master aside. This time we can refrain from leaving him alive."

Vandal Savage sighed. "This proposition should require further deliberation. As do all of our candidates. It is time we move on to the next matter. One you, Ra's, will have to pay close attention to."

**GOTHAM CITY**

**DECEMBER 11, 18:09**

"Ocean-Master?"

The villain grinned and spun his trident. "You sound surprised."

Guardian knelt to help up Jaime, and Batgirl eyed up the Atlantean. "To be fair, this isn't exactly your forte." She looked around at the scattered straw. "Whatever the hell this is."

Ocean-Master began to walk menacingly towards the heroes. "I'd argue points for creativity. But," his trident started to glow. "I'll spare you the villainous monologue."

Batgirl dodged quickly right, escaping the burn of blue energy that tore through the room. Bumblebee took off towards their attacker, and Barbara tossed batarangs in his direction. Ocean-Master swatted them down and growled with pain as Karen stung the side of his head. Bumblebee weaved around his head, shooting sparks at his helmet. Jolting forward, he thrust his head into her, sending her plummeting to the floor.

"Oh, hell no you didn't!" Guardian left Blue Beetle and charged Ocean-Master, dodging a blast. He swung at the Atlantean, and the two traded blows. Ocean-Master caught Guardian's punch, and twisted his hand. He leaned in close.

"Oh, hell yes, I did." With a laugh, he backhanded Mal with his trident, sending him sprawling on the floor.

Batgirl looked up from her spot by the door, trying to get it open. "Blue, cover me!"

"Got it!" Jaime yelled, constructing a plasma cannon and firing it at Ocean-Master, his blast meeting with the Atlantean power of his trident's. The colliding forces lit up the room, and it was blinding.

"It doesn't look like you have much time, girl!" Ocean-Master shouted over the energy. As the light filled the room, a thin cloud of gas became visible. Barbara looked over her shoulder at the scarecrow, laying limp on the floor. _Shit._ Ocean-Master smirked as he noticed her gaze. "Getting it now? Not just any Scarecrow. _The_ Scarecrow." Barbara turned back to the door, her vision hazing. Darkness crept at the edges of her vision, like black claws tearing back her grip on consciousness. She became aware of Jaime growing weaker next to her, and she wondered if it was the gas somehow creeping through the Scarab's protection. His knees buckled, and the trident's energy overpowered him, sending him back to the ground.

Batgirl rolled over, only just realizing she was on the ground as well, and saw Ocean-Master walking to her. The distant sounds of the rest of her teammates slumping to the floor reached her ears. A second pair of boots joined Ocean-Master’s, and Barbara looked up to see a man next to him. One she had seen before. It was Crane. She tried to speak, but words never found their way to her mouth. She watched with dread as Crane looked at her, and put on a mask. A _Scarecrow_ mask. The villain wasn't only here, he was _Crane._ It was a trap.

A familiar yet haunting feeling began to rise up in Barbara's chest. Fear. Fear was there. Fear was everywhere. Fear was all she felt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally some Wally feels! How will this effect Dick going forward? And who do you guys agree with, Artemis or Barbara? Lets hear some analysis! Part 2 coming soon, and we'll see if The Team can save themselves and figure out what this partnership is all about before its too late...


	4. Episode 3.4 - Fear Part Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Captured, Batgirl must face her fears and combat the newfound partnership between Scarecrow and Ocean-Master. Nightwing and Tigress pay a visit to Black Mask.

**BLUDHAVEN**

**DECEMBER 11, 19:31**

"So, what is it you came here for?"

"Besides an outstanding case of emotional support?"

"Sure."

"I need help. _We_ need help." Artemis and Dick were in his office, Dick sitting down at the computer. They had spent a considerable amount of time grieving for Wally, and Dick felt as if his head was clear – or at least clear _er_ – enough to get down to business. At her words, he swiveled to face his friend.

"Is this about the guy who killed Ryder?" She nodded, and he continued. "I saw that on the news. Crazy get-up but he must have slipped by you guys like a snake."

Artemis sighed and looked away. "That's the thing. He didn't slip by undetected. He came to us." Dick allowed a wave of mild surprise to wash over his face. "Not only did he tip us off but he found _and_ beat us. This isn't some rookie, Dick. He's a threat. And he went out of his way to prove it."

Dick smoothed his eyebrow with a finger, something he found himself doing when he became deep in thought. "What were his powers?"

"None." Artemis replied grimly.

That got Dick's attention. _"None?_ Who did he take out?"

"Me, Connor, Tim. Among others. All through hand-to-hand."

"Tim? How is he?"

Artemis looked at Dick. "Honestly, not the best. Another reason we still need you."

Dick was silent. He knew Tim was strong. Sometimes stronger than even him. But he also knew how he would get with stuff like this, and suddenly Dick felt guilt for leaving him to face it alone.

"And that's not all. He knows, Dick."

"Knows what?"

"He knows Tim Drake is Robin."

**GOTHAM CITY**

**DECEMBER 11, 19:02**

Barbara groaned and rolled over. Her vision was hazy and her ears rung. _It's a good thing Batman makes me carry around that pocket-sized antidote._ The Scarecrow had always been a mystery to her mentor, and even he hadn't the chance to figure out who he was. He had never been detained, and never recorded, not even in a crappy cell-phone video on the internet. Because of his unpredictability, it was mandatory for all members of the Bat-family to carry around a crude antidote in the case of a run-in, and Barbara found that it payed off tonight.

 _And crude is definitely the right word._ She could still feel the dread inside her, a blinding sense of fear that had barely ebbed away by the time she regained consciousness. _I can only imagine how it must be for the others._ Batgirl had woken up in the corner of a small room, different from the one she last remembered. She felt hot in her costume, drenched with sweat. There was no sign of her teammates, although she wasn't exactly sure if the screaming she heard earlier was in her dreams or not.

Barbara sat up, and breathed out heavily. She realized how much she took having Miss Martian's mind link for granted. _When exactly does M'Gann get back from Mars again? Can it be, like, now?_ She didn't know where her team was, but she knew they were in trouble. Ocean-Master was a heavy-hitter, and whatever reason he had for teaming with Scarecrow, she would get to the bottom of it.

Oddly, she wasn't wearing cuffs, or any form of restraints. Standing up, Batgirl braced herself on the wall, the room seeming to spin. She stumbled to the door, which opened with ease. _Noo, nothing suspicious about that._ The hallway in front of her seemed to stretch out impossibly long, and every painful step she took appeared to make it stretch even farther out. Dim lights flickered on and off, and the windows were black with night. "Batgirl?" The question was croaked out painfully, and to her left. She turned toward the sound, and recoiled in horror at what she saw.

It was Blue Beetle, sprawled out on the floor, his helmet peeled back to reveal a sheet-white face, eyes glaring at space. A thin line of blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, but that wasn't what horrified Batgirl. It was the Trident. Ocean-Master's trident. Driven straight through his heart. The cold Atlantean metal had pierced right through the Scarab's protective casing, and Jaime Reyes lay at her feet, dead. Barbara choked back her horror, and would have screamed if it weren't for the dream-like state she was in. She felt trapped, forced to keep walking in silence and fear, and she recoiled once more at what she saw next.

Karen, in a pool of blood, laying on her side with the same un-seeing eyes, her arm stretched out, her hand limp, her finger not an inch way from another finger, one that lay attached to the hand of Mal. He also lay on the floor, face down, arms strewn about. Two lovers, dead next to each other but unable to feel the comfort of the other's touch in the face of death.

"Barbara?" The voice came again. It did not belong to Jaime, as she thought before, but instead from someone else. It wasn't Mal, and it wasn't Karen, and Barbara knew who's it was. She knew what was coming, and she didn't dare look up. "Babs?" She had no choice. His breath was on her. His very being was right in front of her, captivating her as it always did. Her eyes flicked up to meet his. To meet the eyes of Dick Grayson. She was drawn to his eyes. Piercing blue seemed to stare straight through her.

"Why, Babs? How could you let this happen?"

Barbara's breath caught in her throat. "I…"

"They're dead, Barbara. All of them. And it's your fault."

"No, I… I didn't…"

"You let them die, Barbara. I trusted you."

"Please, Dick-" she trailed off, her voice becoming desperate.

"I trusted you, and you failed me." Dick's voice grew more faint, and she could feel his presence whisping away. Away from her.

"Please, Dick come back! Don't…" As quickly as he appeared, he was gone, and Barbara felt empty. Once more fear rose within her, and the hall melted away to a spiraling darkness.

**BLUDHAVEN**

**DECEMBER 11, 19:35**

_"What?"_

"You heard me. He knows. I don't know how but he knows."

Dick slammed his palm down on the desk, his eyes glaring. "That's impossible."

Artemis crossed her arms. "Apparently not. And if he knows Tim's then it's only a matter of time before he traces it back to you, Barbara, and even Bruce. If he hasn't already," she added grimly.

"What do you have on him?"

"Other than that, nothing. Except his name."

Dick turned in surprise. "You got his name?"

"Well, what he's calling himself anyway," she replied, looking at him, "Barbara's heard it before, but it doesn't make much sense and she's not sure it's connected."

"Well, what is it?"

"He's calling himself the Red Hood."

Dick was silent. He seemed to go rigid with thought, and Artemis pressed on. "We know about Joker and how it was his alias but that's it. We thought you might know something about it that we don't."

Dick's hand ran over his mouth, and the other shot to his keyboard. "I do." He sat up and began typing furiously, pulling up files. "The Red Hood isn't just the name of a person, or even the gang he was in. It's the name of a ship." Artemis leaned over, and looked at the picture Dick pulled up. It was a merchant vessel, and one that looked vaguely familiar, although she couldn't put her finger on it. The picture zoomed in and pulled up small print on the side, blurry but clear in context, "Red Hood".

"Where is this from? I feel like I should know but…" she trailed off, troubled.

"That's because you've been on it. And so have I. It's the ship where they took _him_." Dick said "him" so softly Artemis could barely hear. But she didn't need to. In that moment she remembered exactly what that ship was, and what happened on it. She looked over her shoulder through the door and to the other side of Dick's bed, the other end table that held yet another picture. In the picture was one boy, about 14 years old, with raven-dark hair and blue eyes, looking a lot like Dick in some ways, giving a rare half-smile for the camera. It was the same boy that was taken on the Red Hood over two years ago, another mission gone wrong, another sore burden on Dick's conscience. Artemis didn't say his name. She didn't need to.

Dick got up from his seat, preventing her from wading into that pool of memories. "I remembered that name, Artemis. Looking into everything after his death, I was obsessed at every little detail. I also remember who that boat belonged to." He paused and Artemis shook her head, failing to recall. "Black Mask. He's our only lead, so if there's anything to be found about this Red Hood, it'll come from him."

.....

Dick sat perched on the roof of a building, binoculars in hand, directed at the Bludhaven branch of Sionis Industries. Artemis, or Tigress, crouched next to him. He looked over at her. She had always been intense, that was one of the things he admired about her. But here, she looked like a whole different animal, even if it was just because of the costume. "Still haven't gotten used to this Tigress getup."

Tigress smirked and lowered her own binoculars. "One, it's not polite to stare. Two, this was your idea. Three, I kind of like it."

"So do I. Just a little jarring, that's all." He looked at her belt. "Nice touch." On her buckle was a stylized lightning bolt, striking through a gold circle. A Flash symbol. A _Kid_ _Flash_ symbol. Artemis reached down to run her finger along it and smiled. Nightwing turned back to the compound, trying to scope out the security.

"Enough about me, but what's up with the red? It screams angry."

Dick looked at her again and faked a growl. "I'm always angry." He said, quoting Bruce Banner from one of their favorite movies, _The Avengers_. Dick and Wally had cheered at the badassery, while Artemis tossed her raisinets in disbelief and cried plot hole.

"It made no sense."

"Who cares? It was awesome."

Nightwing smiled and thought back to his sixteenth birthday. He remembered the walk on the beach, him and Wally, best friends 'til the end, trading jokes among serious conversation. That night stayed with him for a long time, burned into his memory as the night he decided, with no doubts or looking back, that he would be his own hero, his own man, and that Wally played a larger role than he could have ever imagined.

"Just something Wally said once."

.....

"Humph!"

Nightwing drove the breath out of his last thug, sending him to the ground. He looked over at Tigress, who was in a headlock. "Done yet?"

"Yeah. I'm just toying with this one." The minion looked offended at that, and Tigress finished him off with a back-kick to the nuts.

Dick cringed and looked past her at an incoming henchman. He nodded towards him. "One more."

Tigress whipped her leg around and caught the guy under the chin, flinging him against the wall and to the ground, where he lay moaning with a number of others.

Nightwing walked past her and smirked. "Was getting worried there for a second."

"That I took out more than you? I count nine to eight my favor."

"My ninth fell out a window, you just can't see her."

"Oh, sure she did. And I'll assume she landed in some very well placed bushes?"

" _Very_ well-placed."

The pair quieted their banter and approached the door to Black Mask's office, listening in.

"YOU GOTTA BE SHITTIN' ME!"

"Sir, we-"

"SAY ONE MORE WORD AND I'LL SHIT IN YOUR MOUTH!"

"Uh, what?"

Silence.

Artemis turned and whispered to Nightwing. "Did he really just say that?"

"Trust me, I've heard worse from him. Now he either laid that guy out or we should really interrupt before things get weird."

The duo stood back and kicked the door down with a crack.

"Shit!" Black Mask immediately kicked over his desk and leaned up against it, producing an automatic weapon. The heroes barely had time to blink before Sionis began spraying bullets at the doorway, forcing them back behind the frame.

"Jeez, that was quick." Artemis breathed out, eyeing Dick from the other side.

"Pretty sure that desk doubles as an armory." He peeked his head out as the fire stopped, and Artemis could almost see his eyes bug out from behind his mask. "RPG!"

The two shot backwards, getting no more than a step when the rocket slammed into the doorway, splintering the frame and sending them flying backwards in an explosion of red and yellow. Smoke billowed through the room, and a small fire remained a few feet away. "That's right, BACK THE FUCK UP!" Black Mask turned to his assistant. "Why the hell does our security suck so much? Get me some Advil! And not the over-the-counter crap, I want the shit we sell!" He looked around at his room. "And get me some new guys! You don't see Penguin getting his ass blown in at the Lounge!"

"That's because Penguin has manners." The quip came out of the smoke, and Nightwing vaulted forward, catching the side of Black Mask's head with his fist. The crime boss stumbled, pulling out a sidearm and firing it back in a random direction. Tigress answered by shooting a bolt at his hand, piercing the side of his knuckle and knocking the gun away.

"Son of a-"

"That's enough mouth, Sionis." Nightwing grabbed him by his collar and sat him down in a chair.

"Shut the hell up! At least when Batman stormed in he wouldn't wreck half my shit, you PRETENTIOUS FUCK!"

Artemis shut him up with a left cross.

"Come on, Artemis, now we have to wait for him to wake up."

"Good. That's the second headache I've had in two hours." She looked up at the assistant, still cowering in the corner. "You got any of that Advil?"

**GOTHAM CITY**

**DECEMBER 11, 21:40**

"Is that the last of them?"

"Yup. That's sixteen fear amplifiers, all in working condition and ready for underwater deployment."

"Good. Prepare for our leave once I eliminate the heroes."

Ocean-Master sent the underling on his way, and walked over to where the heroes were suspended, their arms and legs stretched out and bound in full metal cuffs, their heads drooping with the state of unconsciousness. The doctor sat a few feet away, staring at his "patients".

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Ocean-Master didn't answer, and Dr. Crane went on. "Fear is the very embodiment of everything you are. The inner horrors of one's mind are fascinating. Even more so when you can watch it eat away at them, tearing every fabric of reality and even sanity to pieces in front of your very eyes."

The Atlantean narrowed his eyes and looked at their prisoners; suspended, unmoving. "I don't see anything, Doctor. Is it over?"

Scarecrow chuckled darkly. "Not while they're alive. You see, though it is simple to manifest, you cannot escape fear. Fear is not a delusion. No, fear is an inescapable constant in life, and once it takes over there is no escape from its eternal prison."

Ocean Master drew his trident and stalked over in front of the heroes. "You will be compensated for your assistance, Scarecrow. Both in monetary value and in favor to the Light." He stopped in front of Batgirl, studying her.

"Are you sure your relationship with them has been… fixed?"

Ocean-Master was silent, lost in his own thoughts as he gazed at the crime-fighter. "Oh, it will be," he murmured, "It will be. This triumph will be more than enough to win back their favor. Four-" his gaze slide back to Batgirl- "Three dead heroes and an armory of fear-enhanced weaponry will impress, and with Manta out of the way, they would be more than willing to accept my presence once more."

"That's all I needed to hear." Suddenly the restraints on Blue Beetle blew open in a flash of light, and immediately a blast of energy was cut loose in Ocean-Master's direction, knocking the Atlantean off his feet. "Pretty pathetic plan, if you ask me, by the way."

"How?" Scarecrow howled, taking a few steps back.

Jaime smirked under his helmet casing. "Filters, duh. And some great acting, if I do say so myself."

"Subpar, at best." Ocean Master lept back towards Blue Beetle, letting out a battle roar as he brought his trident down with true power. Jaime tried to block with a shield, but was sent skidding backwards with a grunt. "Don't try and fight me, boy. The sheer power in this trident far outweighs anything that Scarab can throw at me. Soon, you and your friends will be dead, and I will have my retribution."

"You're a cocky one, aren't you? Let's put that theory to test!" Blue Beetle rose from the ground and flew towards his advisory, the two meeting in the middle to trade blows.

Barbara's eyes snapped open. In front of her, Blue Beetle and Ocean-Master battled it out, and the remaining Atlantean minions fled, their jobs were done. Dark claws still burned at the edges of her vision, and her head spun. Her body flooded with relief. _He's alive._ Barbara turned to her right, and saw Mal and Karen. _Unconscious, but alive. Thank God._ A deep shiver shook her, and her arms sagged from the restraints. _This could be a dream, too. Some sort of sick delirium trying to drive me insane._ Fear was eating away at her, and she knew it. She watched the battle in the room, and it was a dead tie. Both powerhouses had brought their best, and neither was going to back down.

A shadow shifted at the corner of Batgirl's eye. At first, she thought it was her mind playing tricks on her. But no, the shadow was real. She watched it pause up in the rafters, then move in what Barbara could only describe as a slither down the wall and to the ground a few yards away. _Friend or foe?_ The Bat-protégé started to tug at her restraints, glancing at Bumblebee and Guardian, both of whom had begun to stir. When she looked back for the shadow, it was nowhere to be found.

"Dammit."

"Shhh." The whisper came from behind Barbara, and she jumped. "They don't know I'm here. I'm on your side."

"And how do I know that?"

"I just told you. Also, I have an antidote. Full, clean, effective. Shot of adrenaline, too."

Barbara's eyes narrowed behind her cowl. "Who are you? And how did you get that?"

She heard a quiet sigh. "No more questions."

With that, a needle plunged into Barbara's neck. Her eyes widened, and she gasped as if a shock of electricity had fired through her. She felt her restraints jiggle, and they fell off her and to the floor: she was free. The stench of pure fear began to lift, and her head became clear. Batgirl was back.

Barbara raised her head and looked around. Next to her, Karen and Mal were doing the same thing, gasping and on their hands and knees. She whipped around to face her liberator. Standing there was a girl, around Barbara's own age, maybe older, dressed in all black. Her face was shrouded in shadow, and she narrowed her eyes. "Who are you? Why free us?"

"Someone who wants to help." Moving quickly, the girl tried to whisk away, but Batgirl was quicker and grabbed her hand. The glove slipped off, and for a brief second, time seemed to slow down. Barbara's eyes shot to the girl's wrist, and found a tattoo. It was a tree, drawn in black ink, its limbs intertwining and stretching to graze her palm. Almost as soon as the image revealed itself, it was gone, the glove on the floor, and the girl out of sight. She didn't care, she had other worries, and the tattoo was burned into her mind anyway.

"Batgirl, look out!" A stream of energy lit up the room once more, and Barbara braced herself. Searing pain never came. Opening her eyes, she saw Guardian, kneeling beside her and protecting her with his shield. "Need some help?"

She grinned. "Nah. I had that covered." The redhead looked over at the battle. Blue was forcing Ocean-Master back, his hands wrapped into maces, while Bumblebee kept the Atlantean off balance with well-timed shocks of energy.

"Who the hell was that? The one that freed us?"

Batgirl looked behind her. "Not sure. I've got what I need for now but we've got to focus on these two." She paused for a beat. "Where's Scarecrow?"

Mal grunted. "Don't know. Must've weaseled his way out."

Barbara narrowed her eyes and strode towards the middle of the room. "Ocean Master!" The villain looked up from where he was locked with Blue Beetle, trident and scarab sword struggling for the upper hand. "It's over! You're the only one left. You lose."

Ocean-Master grunted, shifting his body so he could drive his shoulder into Jaime, sending him sliding on the floor. He relaxed his stance and looked calmly at the heroes. "I have what I came for. The only victory you have reaped is the preservation of your lives. There is time to fix that yet."

Blue Beetle got up from a knee and glared at his enemy. "How about we go another round, see how that turns out!"

The Atlantean allowed a smirk to crease his face. "I'll choose to ignore that, for your own good. Let it be known that the Ocean-Master is back, and he is not to be underestimated." Raising his trident to the air, it's prongs began to glow. A dull roar seemed to scratch at the edge of Barbara's hearing.

Mal took a step back. "Hold." Batgirl slid the words through gritted teeth as she began to tense. The roar grew louder, clearer. She looked out the large window behind Ocean-Master, and her eyes widened.

Bumblebee gasped. "Is that-?"

"The Bay! Move!"

Batgirl unleashed her grappling hook in record time, the ground whipping by underneath her and startling her hazy vision. The roar became thunderous, and a massive blue and green wall slammed into the side of the museum. Shattered glass shot inwards amidst the swirling foam, and the room was suddenly engulfed in waves. As soon as the current arrived, however, it began to recede, and as the air cleared, Barbara was relieved to hear her teammates coughing – they had escaped the brunt of it.

Bumblebee reverted to her natural size and pulled down her soaked cowl. "Gone. He pulled in the whole damn bay just so he could leave?"

"In case you hadn't noticed, dude had a flair for the dramatic," Guardian paused with his hands on his knees, "I would've liked to shut him up. This mission was a failure."

Batgirl turned away from her perch near the ceiling. _Not yet. Not if I can help it._

"Hey, where's Batgirl?"

.....

Dr. Crane stumbled through the darkness. His mask was gone, he must have dropped it somewhere. He bundled his way through the sidewalk traffic, trying to blend in despite his unkempt hair and lurching gait. In hindsight, those traits do a magnificent job of blending in with Gotham's populace. The street he was on broke off into an alleyway, and he used it to melt into the shadows.

 _This is all wrong! The heroes were supposed to die, not fight back! How could an antidote exist?_ Jonathan knew that was a terrible question, so he answered himself. _The Atlantean. He had asked for an antidote, 'just in case'. The Scarecrow himself had never made one, he didn't need it. Ocean-Master must have used it somehow to take the glory of killing them for his own pride. But why? They were partners, both working to curry favor with The Light._ His head snapped sideways, his fingernails scraping the solid brick that held him up. _You fool! He cared nothing for your work! He used you and now everything is gone! Your job, your reputation, everything you had worked so hard to conceal. If even one hero lives, you can never go back! What will Ava think, her father disgraced and hunted like an animal?_

"No…"

The doctor stumbled once more and heard a noise behind him. He turned swiftly. No longer recognizing where he had ended up, his eyes began to flick back and forth, searching in vain for the source of the noise. "Who- who's there?" No answer. Something tin rattled at the edge of his vision, and his head whipped around, catching movement. "B-back off. You don't know who you're dealing with. I-I'm the master of fear itself!"

"Oh really?" A voice now, and for once Jonathan hoped it was the one inside his head. "And what scares you, Crane?"

The Scarecrow's head jerked upwards, catching sound but failing to see anything but darkness.

The voice continued. "Maybe you truly have no fear. Or maybe you're just too afraid to find out."

A hand fell on Jonathan's shoulder, and he jumped, spinning around and swatting the hand away. And that's when he saw the Bat. "No, don't come any closer!" Jonathan backpedaled, his feet working on pure instinct, the gap between him and his tormentor not growing any wider. "Away, please!" he wailed, sweat pouring down his face, his breaths coming in frantic gasps. Finally, his foot caught, and he went falling back, only for the hand to reach out and grab him once more. Even as he was pulled closer, Jonathan couldn't stand to look his tormentor in the face. All he could see were those eyes, white slits in the black of night. His babble increased, the moisture on his face turned from sweat to tears, and The Scarecrow collapsed into an incoherent, sobbing mess.

Hand on the villain's collar, and sweat dripping down her own face, Batgirl put a gloved hand to her earpiece. "Crane is down. We got him."

**BLUDHAVEN**

**DECEMBER 11, 21:06**

Nightwing walked out of the compound, rubbing his wrist. "All these years I could have sworn that mask was plastic."

Tigress prowled out behind him, and started scratching at a spot of blood on her partner's shoulder. "Blood. Dry. At least it matches your color scheme."

Nightwing turned back with a glimmer of amusement and just a shade of annoyance. "I'm red now. Deal with it."

"I'm going to have so much material my time of the month. And you better indulge me because you couldn't take the storm."

Dick let himself laugh. "Now just because I'm following this lead doesn't mean I'm ready to re-join the Team. I just… need time. Can you respect that?"

Artemis smirked. "Me and you both know once you step in the Watchtower, you're going to want to stay."

"In that case I'll just zeta up a hard drive."

Artemis couldn't tell if he was joking, so she decided to drop it for the time being. "So? What's your plan of action?"

Nightwing stared up at the moon. "You heard Mask. He bought it from Drew Hagen, who used to run with the old Red Hood gang. Once he was with the Shadows, he helped broker an arms deal that gave Sionis firepower and the Shadows a base of operations in Gotham."

"Sounds like a dead lead if I've ever heard one."

"Yes, but it's all we've got. If I can find some connection between the two, hell, maybe it even _is_ him if he's got such an affinity for the name, then we can make some serious headway in all of this."

Artemis picked up a rock, turning it over in her hand. "We don't know where he's at, so the next logical step is…"

"Clayface." Dick finished. "His brother. I'll head over to the Cage first thing in the morning."

"As Nightwing or Officer Grayson?"

"I got the job to filter out dirty cops. I've got my list. This is more important. Something Nightwing needs to do."

Artemis smiled. "Good to hear. And what about our thugs from earlier?"

"Later. Like I said, this is more important."

Tigress straightened up and walked a few paces away. "I'm glad you're back. Not just Nightwing you know, _you_." He remained silent. "I have to get back to the Team. They'll be missing me." She paused. "Well, _most_ of them, anyway."

Dick knew what she was referring to. He didn't exactly enjoy the fact that two of his closest friends constantly bickered. "She likes you. Respects you. Try not to kill each other?"

Artemis was light-hearted in her answer as she lept on top of a low brick wall at the end of the side street they were on. "No promises." She turned to go, but stopped. "Oh, and _finger_ _stripes_? Really?"

Nightwing looked down at his hand. "I like the finger stripes."

"Bye, Dick."

"Bye."

Nightwing watched as his friend jumped down into the night, feeling pleased at how simple things remained between the them, even after all that happened. Feeling around, he reached into his belt and found the rock she had been toying with. Smiling, he shook his head, put it back, and began walking. This was just the beginning. He had work to do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright that's 4 episodes in the books! Exploring the dynamic between Artemis and Dick is always one of my favorites. More adventures with those two incoming. Who's the mystery girl? And does she have other intentions? How will Ocean-Master's plan play out going forward? So many questions, maybe we'll learn a thing or two now that Scarecrow is all tied up. 
> 
> Next up, we got Episode 5, titled "Lineage". This one is gonna be very Bart-centric, and a lot of dominoes are looking to fall. Heavy implications for the future of this series, so it should be exciting!


End file.
